Gas-operated screw-type head for puncturing closures



Nov. 18, 1930. I s. E. ALLEN ETAL 1,782,621

GAS OPERATED SCREW TYPE HEAD FOR PUNCTURING CLOSURES Filed Jan. so, 19292 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 18,}930. s. E. JALLEN ET AL 1,782,021

GAS-biERATED SCREW TYPE HEAD FOR PUfJCTURING CLOSURES Filed Jan. 30,1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 8/ azf 6602 2 E. fl//en, 0 half Mxsque// y j Ifirrog/vex through a threaded projection 13. Adapted Patented Nov. 18,1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCOTT E. ALLEN AND OZRO N. WISWELL, 0]LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO C-O-TWOFIRE EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OFCALIFORNIA GAS-OPERATED SCREW-TYPE HEAD FOR PUNCTURING CLOSURESApplication filed January 30, 1929.

Our invention relates to a device for releasing fluid from a container,and in its preferred embodiment is in the form of a device for releasingfire extinguishing fluid from a container. In our co-pendingapplications entitled Pressure operated means for puncturing closurediaphragm, Serial No. 208,795, filed July 27, 1927, and Device forpuncturing closure disc, Serial No. 208,717, filed July 27 1927, we haveillustrated various devices for accomplishing this result.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a device,which has a puncturing member, which is operated by a fluid rotatedrotor.

It is another object of our invention to provide a device having apuncturing member, which is advanced into penetrating position by arotation thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter mentioned, in which the rotor, which operates the puncturingmember, may be actuated by the pressure or velocity.

It is also an object of the invention to pro vide a device of thischaracter in which the puncturing member is designed, so that it willnot obstruct the flow of fluid.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in thefollowing description.

Referring to the drawings, in which our invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through one form of our invention, whichis operated by a fluid pressure;

Figure 2 is a plan section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1

Figure 3 is a plan section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical section through another form of the invention,which. is operated by the velocity of the fluid; and

Figure 5 is a plan section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the form of the invention illustlatcd in Figs. 1 to 3inclusive, the numeral l1 designates a container having an outletopening 12. which opening 12 is formed Serial No. 336,157.

to close the opening 12 is a closure member in the form of a disk 14,which is secured in place by an annular nut 15. The invention provides abody 17, which is secured to the projection 13 by means of a union nut18, which is screwed on to the threaded projection 13. The body 17provides a fluid chamber 20, which, when the closure member 14 ispunctured, communicates with the opening 12.

Extending into the chamber 20 is a puncturing member 21. This puncturingmember 21 has a lower knife edge 22, adapted for penetrating the closuremember 14 when the puncturing member is operated. Formed in thepuncturing member 21 is a longitudinal cavity 24, which communicateswith the lower end thereof, and which is in communication with thechamber 20 by means of lateral openings 25. \Vhen the closure member 14is punctured, the fluid escaping through the opening 12 may pass throughthe cavity 24 and the openings 25 into the fluid chamber 20. The fluidmay pass from the chamber 20 through a pipe 26 connected therewith.

The upperend of the puncturing member 20 is provided with screw threads27, which cooperate with screw threads 28*, provided in an opening 29,into which the upper end of the puncturing member extends. When thepuncturing member is rotated in a clockwise direction, the co-action ofthe screw threads 27 and 28 cause it to advance downward and topenetrate the closure member 14.

The upper part of-the body 17 provides a cylindrical rotor chamber 31the upper side of which is closed by a cover plate 32, this cover plate32 being secured to the top of the body 17 by means of machine screws33. Extending through the rotor chamber 31 on the axis of the puncturingmember 21 is a rotor shaft 34. The lower end of the rotor shaft 34 isprovided with a non-cylindrical opening 35, into which the upper end 36of cover 32. That portion of the rotor shaft 34, which extends throughthe rotor chamber 31, is non-cylindrical in cross-section, as indicatedat 39. Adapted to operate in the rotor chamber 31 is a rotor or impeller'formed at the inner end thereof, against which the rotor 41 may abutwhen it is in the unactuated position shown in full lines in Fig. 2,this being the normal position of the rotor. Connecting to the rotorchamber 31 adjacent to the web 43 and in a'tangential relation to therotor chamber is an entrance passage 46, by means of which a fluid underpressure is delivered to the rotor chamber 31. The means for supplyingthis pressure may be in the form of apipe 47 for conveying a fluid underpressure to the entrance 46, or it maybe in the form of some device forcreating a pressure, such for ex ample as an explosion plug, which isshown in our application entitled Device for puncturing closure disc,mentioned in the first part of the specification.

The web 43 is provided with a vent opening 49, which permitsany gas orfluid in the rotor chamber to escape when the rotor 41 is caused torotate by the fluid under pressure introduced through the entranceopenpuncturing member 21, so that it may be ading 46.

As shown in Fig. 1, the upper end of the rotor shaft 34 extends abovethe cover plate and is provided with a crank 50, having a maniiallyengageable handle 51, by means of which the device may be manuallyoperated.

The operation of this form of our invention is substantially as follows:

When it is desired to release the fluid from the container 11, it isnecessary to rotate the 1 vanced downward a suflicient distance topenetrate the closure disk 14. This may be accomplished either by amanual operation of the device or by. a fluid operation ofthe device.-For a fluid operation of the de- Vice, a fluid pressure is deliveredthrough the entrance passage 46 to the rotor chamber 31. The fluid underpressure causes the rotor 41 to rotate in the rotor chamber. 31 in thedirection indicated by the arrow 53 of Fig. 2, the rotor 41 being movedinto tween the rotor shaft and the puncturing, member 21, the puncturingmember is likewise rotated substantially one revolution.

The screw threads 27 and 28 cause the puncturing member to movedownward, sothat the closure disk 14 is penetrated. This will permitfluid to pass through the opening 12 of the container 11, the cavity24,the openings 25, the fluid chamber 20 and into the pipe 26.

If the device is to be manually operated, the handle 51 of the crank 50is engaged and the rotor shaft 34 is rotated the same distance as it isrotated by means of the of the invention provides a puncturing mem- 1ber 62, which extends through an opening 63 of the body 60 into thechamber 61. The

puncturing member is provided with threads 64, which cooperate withthreads 65 formed in the opening 63 in order to advance the puncturingmember when it is rotated. The lower end of the puncturing member isprovided with a knife edge 66, which is in a position to puncture thedisc 14 when the puncturing member 62 is advanced downward.

The puncturing member is provided with a longitudinal cavity 67, thelower end of which communicates with the opening 12 of the containerwhen the closure disc is penetrated. The upper end of the cavity 67 isconnected by lateral openings 68 with a fluid chamber 69, provided bythe body 60. Connecting to the fluid chamber 69 is a pipe 70, by meansof which the fluid is delivered to a point of utilization.

The upper part of the body 60 and a cover 72, which is bolted to thebody 60 by bolts 73,

cooperate to provide arotor chamber 74.

Adapted to operate in the rotorchamber 74 is a rotor 75, which isadapted to be operated by the velocity of a fluid. The rotor 75 is inaxial alinement with the puncturing member 62. This rotor 75 has vanes76, which extend from a hub 77. As shown in Fig. 4, the lower end of thehub 77 is centralized by a bearing ring 78, supported in the upper partof the fluid chamber 69. The upper end of the hub 77 has an extensionforming a stub shaft 80 journaled in an opening 81 of the cover 72. Theextreme upper end of the stub shaft has a crank 82 connected to it,whereby the hub may be manually rotated. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, thelower end of thehub77isprovided with a polygonal socket 84, into which acorrespondingly shaped projection 85 of the puncturing member 62extends. The puncturing member' 62 may move axially with respect to therotor 7 5, but cannot rotate relative thereto.

The upper part of the rotor chamber 74 has an entrance opening 87connected to it, by means of which the fluid is supplied thereto. Thefluid may be delivered to the entrance opening 87 by means of a pipe 88having a check valve 89.

The operation of this form of the invention is as follows:

The fluid is introduced to the rotor chamber 7 4 through the entranceopening 87. The fluid passes downward through the rotor chamber 74 intothe fluid chamber 69 and outward through the pipe 70. In passing throughthe rotor chamber 74 the velocity of the fluid causes the rotor 75 torotate. This rotation is transferred to the puncturing member 62, which,by reason of the screw threads 64 and 65 causes the puncturing member 62to advance downward and to penetrate the closure disk 14. When theclosure disk 14 is penetrated, the fluid in the container will passthrough the opening 12 thereof, cavity 67, the openings 68 and into thefluid chamber 69. This fluid released from the container 11 will fluidchamber 69 with the rst mentioned fluid, which operates the rotor 75.When the fluid pressure in the chamber 69, caused by the release offluid from the container 11 exceeds that in the pipe 85, the check valve89 will close and prevent a back flow of fluid through the pipe 88.

The device may be manually operated by means of the crank 82, whichcauses the rotor to rotate and causes the puncturing member 62 to beadvanced downward and penetrate the closure disk 14, as previouslydescribed.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the inventionwill be quick and positive in operation. The important feature rests inthe combination of a puncturing member, which is advanced by rotation,and a fluid operated rotor for causing the puncturing member to berotated, so that it will be advanced in order to penetrate the closuredisk 14.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a device for use in connection with a container having a closurefor closing the opening thereof, the combination of: a puncturingmember, means whereby said puncturing member is adapted to be advanced brotation to puncture said closure; and a uidoperated rotor for causingoperation of said means.

2. In a device for use in connection with a container having a closurefor closing the opening thereof, the combination of: a puncturing memberoperable by rotation to puncture said closure; a rotor operatively con-"nected to sald puncturlng member; and

means for directing a fluid to operate said rotor.

3. In adevice for use in connection wlth a ass from the container havinga closure for closing the opening thereof, the combination of: a body; apuncturing member having threaded engagement with said body, saidpuncturing member adapted to advance and puncture said closure when saidpuncturing member is rotated; and fluid-operated means for rotating saidpuncturing member.

4. In a device for use in connection with a container having a closurefor closing the opening thereof, the combination of: a body; apuncturing member having threaded engagement with said body, saidpuncturing member adapted to advance and puncture said closure uponbeing rotated; a rotor operatively connected with said puncturingmember, said puncturing member being movable relative to said rotor toengage said clo-. sure; and means for directing a fluid to operate saidrotor.

5. In a device for use in connection with a container having a closurefor closing the opening thereof, the combination of: a body forming afluid chamber; a puncturing member having threaded engagement with saidbody and extending in said fluid chamber, said puncturing member adaptedto advance and puncture said closure when said puncturing member isrotated, said puncturing member having a cavity adapted to connect withsaid opening of said container when said closure is punctured, saidcavity conveying fluid to said fluid chamber; and fluid-operated meansforrotating said puncturing member.

6. In a device for use in connection with a container having a closureforclosing the opening thereof, the combination of: a body forming afluid chamber; a puncturing member threadedly supported by said body andextending in said fluid chamber, said puncturing member adapted toadvance and puncture said closure when said puncturing member isrotated, said puncturing member having a cavity adapted to connect withsaid opening of said container when said closure is punctured, saidcavity conveying fluid to said fluid chamber; a rotor connected to saidpuncturing member, said puncturing member being movable relative to saidrotor; and means for directing a fluid to operate said rotor.

7. In a device for use in connection with a container having aclosure'for closing the outlet thereof, the combination of, a body, amember operable to open the closure, a fluid actuated rotor, and meanswhereby said memher is operated by operation of the rotor.

8. In a device for use in connection with a container having a closurefor closing the outlet thereof, the combination of, a bod a memberoperable to open the closure, a uid actuated rotor operable in a chamberin the body, and means whereby said member is operated by operation ofthe rotor, said means including a threaded engagement between the bodyand said member.

9. In a device for use in connection with a container having a closurefor closing the outlet thereof, the combination of, a body a memberoperable to open the closure, a fluidv actuated rotor operable in achamber in the body, and means whereby said member is operated byoperation, of the rotor, said means including a threaded engagementbetween the body and said member, and a connection between the rotor andsaid member whereby said member is rotated by the rotor.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto set our hands at Los Angeles,California, this 24th day of January, 1929.

SCOTT E. ALLEN. OZRO N. WISWELL.

